The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1887-11-13
Taking THE COUNTY RIDICULOUS
Litigation Growing Ont OF the Action OF 6
Court with Economical Predileetlons.

HARRISBURG, Nov. 1o.-The great county
OF Lancaster has involved itself in a lawsuit
under circumstances which, II the case is per-
mitted to 60 to trial. will hold up to ridicule
tho richest agricultural county in the United
States-the historic home OF great warriors
and illustrious statesmen. The wealth Of Lam
caster county is proverbial. Her agricultural
products alone amount in value to $10.00O,0 900
year. Her public treasury is full to over
flowing. Yet in the name Of economy her
courts are stubbornly insisting on an act OF
parsimony that would shame the most i'm
pecunious district In North Carolina,
At the October term Of the Lancaster Court
OF Oyer and Terminer Reddy" Jacobs. a no.
torious character. and once enjoying intimate
relations with the Abe Buzzard gang Of Welsh
Mountain outlaws. was tried and convicted Of
murder in the first degree. The crime was
committed on tho night of Dec. II, 1886. Jacobs.
who is a married man with two children, lived
at that time In one Of the back streets Of Ian
caster city, near the Pennsylvania Railroad
track. On tho night In question, Elmer F..
Quigley. an Industrious employee of the rail-
road company. was on his way home. As he
was passing Reddy Jacobss house he heard
children crying violently. as though some one
was beating them. Quigley stopped on tho
out Of tho house and ordered him to move
on. Quigley not going quickly enough to
suit him. he ran back in his house, got long
bladed butcher knife. and. coming out again.
plunged the knife into Quigley's stomach.
Quigley staggered and fell and Jacobs ran
away. Joseph Sonenmoser. an itinerant scis-
sors grinder. heard Jacobs threaten Quigley.
and saw the fatal blow struck. Sonenmoser
was taken into custody to appear before the
Coroner. Jacobs eluded the officers for a few
days, and was then captured and held to an
swer the charge OF murder. Sonenmoser, be-
ing O stranger in Lancaster and an important
witness against Jacobs. was lodged in jail so
that his presence might be insured when the
case came to trial.
The trial was not called until the first Of last
testimony convicted one Of the most desperate
criminals In this part OF the State. The scis-
bs had then been ha
In claim for the legal witness fee OF 81 day
for that many days. The claim was presented
ston, presides over the Lancaster courts.
Judge Patterson. In the interest OF the richest
Of as
he had been forced to spend In the county Jail.
and charged him So week for every week he
This protected tho Lancaster county treasury
to the amount Of s123, and the amended bill
for $l75 was approved. On matters OF law
and Judge Livingston cannot we'll agree, and
It frequently happens that an opinion M given by
s y ,h and tbc
protection Of tho interests OF the taxpayers.
Judge Patterson and Judge Livingston are OF
Is a discriminating man, and. as q rule. draws
his pocket toEether with tight puckering
string soJudge Livingston approved the aG-
tion OF his confrere In standing like watch
dog between the voracious scissors grinder and
the county treasury. and the scissors grinder
more. Judge Livingstons charge Of 50 q week
the declaration Of Jailer "Burkholder that the
keeping by his services at the Jail.
The Parsimoniops treatment OF the unfortu-
In Lancaster City. The local press denounced
it. The feeling Of Indignation was greatly in
creased when Il was learned that the cost OF
week Then the, public protest was unmis,,
takably expressed against the first agricultural
Spndsr to board IN s Tn as
saw At to use him in vindicating it's outraged
a1d II th hf making profit Of % G Patsr
son Informed Sonenmoser,s counsel that the
scissors grinder would be allowed the SO cents
week overeharge although that concession
treasury to the amount Of s4o.S5.'
Yesterday the County Commissioners at their
for ssss h I Of sohsn
moser's claim. Judges Patterson and Living
ston, however. informed the Commissioners
that II they paid the claim they would do SC, on
their own responsibility. and would stand q
treasury out OF their own pockets such por-
tion Of the bill as the Judge had disallowed.
The Commissioners then refused TO pay tho
claim at all, and. as tho matter now stands. tho
ridiculous spectacle Is presented OF o poor man.
who has been q prisoner for nearly year.
to employ counsel and bring suit to re-
cover the pittance Justly due him by wealthy